Field Quality Assurance Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

JOB SUMMARY

GMRE is seeking a Field Quality Assurance Specialist to provide independent, risk-based process assurance across customer and operational sites supporting aircraft upgrades, modifications, and related installation activities. The position is primarily field-focused and is responsible for verifying that GMRE personnel consistently follow approved work cards, drawings, technical data, configuration controls, quality requirements, and established process controls. The Specialist reviews work-in-process and production records, verifies required in-process inspections are performed and documented, identifies process drift and recurring risk, and supports corrective action before issues become customer findings. The role does not replace Government or customer product inspection and acceptance authority; it provides independent assurance that GMRE processes are being executed as intended. When not deployed, the position supports cross-site trend analysis, audit preparation, corrective-action effectiveness, lessons learned, and selected production quality activities at the home station. Safety compliance is incorporated as a component of field quality oversight, including adherence to GMRE, OSHA, customer, installation, and applicable Government or Air Force requirements.

SUCCESS MEASURES

• Consistent execution of approved installation and modification processes across field sites
• Accurate, complete, and traceable work-card, inspection, and configuration records
• Early identification of process drift before it becomes a customer finding or product escape
• Effective local in-process inspections and verification of corrective-action effectiveness
• Reduced repeat findings, rework, documentation errors, and cross-site variation
• Strong audit readiness, customer confidence, and transfer of lessons learned between sites
• Safe work execution in accordance with applicable company, OSHA, customer, and Government requirements

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Field Quality Assurance - Primary Responsibility

• Execute independent, risk-based quality surveillance across customer and operational sites supporting aircraft upgrades, modifications, and installation activities, including F-16 programs where assigned.
• Conduct scheduled and unannounced observations of work in progress to verify actual execution aligns with approved work cards, drawings, technical data, procedures, and configuration requirements.
• Compare actual work status to work-card sign-offs and verify required in-process inspections, hold points, and quality checks are performed and documented.
• Review work packages, inspection records, configuration records, and other objective evidence for completeness, accuracy, traceability, and integrity.
• Identify inconsistent practices, process drift, recurring discrepancies, and quality risks across field sites; document findings and communicate them through the Quality organization.
• Support customer, Government, and internal quality interfaces while preserving the distinction between GMRE process assurance and Government/customer product acceptance authority.
• Verify corrective actions are implemented and remain effective; identify repeat or systemic issues requiring escalation.
• Transfer lessons learned, effective practices, and quality expectations across sites to improve consistency and execution.

Process Surveillance, Audits & Continuous Improvement

• Perform Layered Process Audits (LPAs), targeted process reviews, and selected internal audits based on risk, performance history, customer findings, new or transitioning sites, personnel changes, changed work packages, or recurring issues.
• Analyze field quality data, inspection trends, customer findings, improvement logs, nonconformances, and corrective actions to identify emerging risk and improvement opportunities.
• Support Root Cause Analysis (RCA), containment, corrective action, continual improvement, and effectiveness verification.
• Maintain field surveillance tools, criteria, records, metrics, and reporting needed to demonstrate process effectiveness and audit readiness.
• Develop cross-site lessons learned, quality communications, and practical recommendations to improve installation discipline and prevent recurrence.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance - Quality Oversight Subset

• As part of field quality surveillance, verify work is performed in accordance with applicable GMRE safety requirements, OSHA standards, customer/site rules, and contractual or Government safety requirements.
• When supporting military aircraft or Government installations, verify personnel are following applicable site and service-specific requirements, including relevant U.S. Air Force standards and technical guidance where contractually applicable.
• Identify unsafe conditions, procedural deviations, or quality/safety interactions that could affect personnel, product, or mission performance and elevate them through established channels.
• Support documentation, corrective action, and follow-up for safety-related findings identified during quality surveillance; coordinate with designated safety personnel or site leadership when specialized safety expertise is required.

Home-Station & Production Quality Support - Secondary Duty

• When not traveling, analyze field quality trends, prepare risk-based site surveillance plans, track findings and corrective actions, and support continuing evaluation of local in-process inspection effectiveness.
• Support selected production quality activities for cable/harness assembly and related manufacturing operations, including in-process/final inspection, configuration verification, records review, and audit support as workload permits.
• Assist with First Article Inspection (FAI), nonconformance documentation, production metrics, process verification, and corrective-action follow-up when assigned.
• Support standardization of quality checkpoints, documentation practices, and lessons learned between home-station production and field operations.

Authority & Escalation

• Access active work areas, work packages, production records, and relevant objective evidence needed to perform assigned quality surveillance.
• Observe work without advance notice when permitted by site and program requirements.
• Question discrepancies between actual work status and documented status and document process findings objectively.
• Escalate significant, recurring, or systemic deviations through the Quality organization and applicable program leadership.
• Recommend immediate pause, containment, or additional review when continued work could conceal, compound, or propagate a process failure, quality escape, or safety risk.
• Field Quality Assurance Specialist is authorized to independently assess and document process compliance without prior approval from the operational organization being assessed.

WHY WORK FOR GMRE?

GMRE is a small veteran-owned company who cares about our employees. We offer health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), vacation, Paid Time Off (PTO), or Paid Sick Leave (PSL) based on state laws, paid holidays, and life insurance to all permanent full-time employees. GMRE’s mission is to provide high quality engineering and technical services to help our customers grow and succeed. 

GMRE is an equal opportunity employer. GMRE is committed to making employment decisions based on valid requirements, without regard to age 40 and over, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other applicable status protected by state or local laws.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. 

REQUIRED SKILLS/ABILITIES

Required

• Field quality assurance, aircraft maintenance/modification quality, aerospace quality, or comparable regulated operations experience
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, technical orders/data, work cards, specifications, work instructions, and configuration requirements
• Working knowledge of process surveillance, inspection records, configuration control, traceability, nonconformance control, and corrective-action processes
• Ability to evaluate objective evidence, identify process drift, and make defensible quality determinations based on documented requirements
• Strong written communication and technical documentation skills for findings, observations, audit evidence, and trend reporting
• Ability to work independently at geographically separated customer sites while maintaining professional relationships with technicians, site leadership, program personnel, and customer/Government representatives
• Working knowledge of workplace safety fundamentals and the ability to recognize quality/safety compliance issues during field surveillance
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic quality, document-control, or program record systems

Preferred

• AS9100D and ISO 9001 quality management system experience
• Aircraft modification, depot, sustainment, or field installation quality experience, particularly fighter aircraft or F-16 programs
• Internal auditing, Layered Process Audit, Root Cause Analysis, and CAPA experience
• Experience working with military technical data, Air Force maintenance/installation environments, or Government quality representatives
• Cable and wire-harness inspection experience; familiarity with IPC/WHMA-A-620 or equivalent workmanship requirements
• OSHA awareness/training and experience applying customer or Government site safety requirements
• Lean or continuous improvement experience and government contracting experience

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate degree, technical degree/certificate, military technical training, or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.

Experience

• Five (5) or more years of quality assurance, aircraft maintenance/modification, aerospace manufacturing, military aviation, or closely related experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating work against technical data, work instructions, configuration requirements, and acceptance criteria.
• Experience supporting field operations, audits, corrective actions, customer interfaces, or geographically separated sites strongly preferred.

Preferred Certifications

• ASQ Certified Quality Inspector (CQI), Certified Quality Technician (CQT), Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), or equivalent
• Lean Six Sigma Yellow/Green Belt or equivalent continuous improvement certification
• IPC/WHMA-A-620 certification or equivalent cable/harness workmanship qualification, where applicable
• FAA Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) certificate or relevant military aircraft quality/maintenance qualification, where applicable
• OSHA 10-Hour or 30-Hour training, where applicable to assigned duties

SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance as required by contract, program, and/or customer.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work in office, manufacturing, hangar, flight-line, and customer operational environments as required.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and safely access aircraft and active work areas, including bending, crouching, climbing stairs, ladders, or work platforms as required.
• Ability to use computers, inspection tools, and required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Must be able to hear and speak well enough to communicate with customers and fellow employees.

TRAVEL REQUIRED

• Significant travel (approximately 60%travel) is required to support geographically separated customer and installation sites.
• Travel will be risk-based rather than evenly rotational, with increased surveillance for new or transitioning sites, customer findings, repeat issues, new personnel or leadership, changed work packages/technical data, declining performance, or corrective-action follow-up.

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